Mall rides drive me crazy!
I rarely use my posts to vent but today I just have to! This has been building up for a long time – years in fact and I’ve finally decided to let it out.
In doing so, perhaps I’ll either get some therapy or coping tips from other Mums or discover that I’m not really a seething, crazy Mother!
As is usually the case when I’m out shopping with my children, I’m in a rush. I have a list of errands as long as my arm and my kids all have their own ideas of what the trip should achieve (Mum, can I get a new game for my DS, Mum can I have a donut, Mum can we get some more … you know how it goes). I attempt to wrangle children, stick to the list and remain on course however there is always one thing that brings me unstuck. MALL RIDES!
Now Mall Rides appear ever so sweet when a calm, relaxed & radiant Mum stands by (or sits sipping her coffee) while her one child plays happily with the steering wheel on the Thomas or the button on The Big Red Car. A picture of cuteness really. However let’s remember that said child is probably too young to realise that if his Mum puts money in, it’s get a whole lot more exciting. And they’re probably so new to the notion of Mall Rides that they don’t realise that there is one every 20 metres!
I swear it doesn’t matter which shopping centre I’m in but they are thick on the ground everywhere we go. And my kids are now big enough to:
- Absolutely understand that money is required
- Fight over who is sitting where
- Know I’m lying when I say I don’t have money for the ride
- Ignore my threats of leaving them behind (because they’d probably be quite happy to stay there while I shopped)
But unfortunately they are not big enough to think that rides like this are for babies and are seriously uncool (well, my 9 year old is but he rarely chooses to come shopping anyway).
So my current tactic is to discuss the Mall Rides before we get out of the car. We talk about how much they cost and what other fun things we could save up for if we don’t spend it today on rides that last 10 seconds! We have total agreement and I feel as though I’ve done well. Yes positive parenting at its best.
Done well that is, until we walk past the first, the second and the third – my pitch, my temperature and the level of my voice rising with each encounter.
So, the next time you hear a Mother say “Who are these people that PUT THESE THINGS in Malls!” it’s probably me. Smile and wave, laugh your head off and thank goodness it’s my kids hogging it so yours can’t or maybe we can take turns – I’ll look after yours while you shop and then you can look after mine!
August 23, 2010 at 3:16 pm, solo endominicana » Blog Arch… said:
August 23, 2010 at 3:32 pm, admin said:
August 23, 2010 at 3:33 pm, admin said:
That’s so true. My 4th baby is still at the stage of not understanding about the money.
16 minutes ago on facebook.
August 23, 2010 at 3:33 pm, admin said:
Would totally agree, except for us we can get away with telling my 4yr that its broken and he is happy to sit in them. But we have to sit in every bloody one we go past, very annoying
5 minutes ago on facebook.
August 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm, admin said:
I can totally agree with what you are saying . my son is three and i feel like a monster every time we walk past one and i have to say no. he will then cry and scream and people will just stare. grrr…it also annoys me how they have lollies in the aisles and ofcourse your child will want one. clever marketing i guess for managers wanting to make some money off us parents
6 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm, admin said:
I just tell my kids that there are way too many yucky germs in those rides… There was a tv research about the germs in them a few years ago.. really scary what they found on these things.. So I’ve never even let my kids sit in them because of the micsoscopic germs…. eewww
6 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm, admin said:
yep…Im hearin ya!
5 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 10:00 pm, admin said:
lol i say theyre broken
4 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 10:00 pm, admin said:
Must be the most popular trick I tell my son their broken as well so he will just sit in them and pretend. Occasionally I put money in one but still annoys me that our $2 lasts about 40 seconds money grabbers haha
2 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 10:01 pm, admin said:
I’m lucky at the moment as my daughter is only two and so far has never been on the ride with money I’ve put in it. To her she thinks they just sit there and she can climb in and climb out and she thinks that is fun. One time though another…
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2 hours ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 10:01 pm, admin said:
I have told my daughter that only Daddies and Grandmother’s are allowed to put money in them, that is to explain why sometimes other children are riding on them. That means I don’t have to put the money in, and it can be a special treat for someone else!
about an hour ago on facebook
August 23, 2010 at 10:02 pm, admin said:
My friend has 3 kids and basically puts aside three times as much time as would take her to do what she needs to do because of the kids. She decided that it’s no fun for the kids to be dragged in, dragged around and then dragged back out to the car to go to the next place. She makes it a day out for them too. I only have one (so far) & hope I can be so well organised and patient when my time comes!!!
about an hour ago on facebook
August 24, 2010 at 9:43 pm, misstrish said:
August 29, 2010 at 10:52 pm, mygirls said:
August 31, 2010 at 9:57 pm, SpotstheCat said: